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Prominent Jeweler to the Stars Dies at 85

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He specialized in antique pieces.

Fred Leighton, whose antique jewelry was popular among A-List celebrities, has died at age 85.

His jewelry found its way onto actresses such as Nicole Kidman, Sophia Loren, Charlize Theron and Kate Winslet, The New York Times reports. It made appearances at the Oscars and other major awards shows.

Leighton sourced his jewelry from “estates, dealers, individuals and auction houses,” according to the Times.

Leighton was born Murray Mondschein and changed his name to Fred Leighton only after buying a store in New York that bore that name. The business became a “retail mecca” in Manhattan for older jewelry styles, according to the Times.

Leighton divested himself of the business more than a decade ago.

Read more at The New York Times

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Bob Wesley, owner of Robert C. Wesley Jewelers in Scottsdale, Ariz., was a third-generation jeweler. When it was time to enjoy life on the other side of the counter, he weighed his options. His lease was nearing renewal time and with no succession plan, he decided it was time to call Wilkerson. There was plenty of inventory to sell and at first, says Wesley, he thought he might try to manage a sale himself. But he’s glad he didn’t. “There’s no way I could have done this as well as Wilkerson,” he says. Wilkerson took responsibility for the entire event, with every detail — from advertising to accounting — done, dusted and managed by the Wilkerson team. “It’s the complete package,” he says of the Wilkerson method of helping jewelers to easily go on to the next phase of their lives. “There’s no way any retailer can duplicate what they’ve done.”

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